


Solace

by ladyreapermc



Series: Keanu ficfest! [21]
Category: American (US) Actor RPF, Canadian Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-19 10:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22376659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyreapermc/pseuds/ladyreapermc
Summary: after an anxiety attack, Keanu is there to comfort you.
Relationships: Keanu Reeves/Reader, Keanu Reeves/You
Series: Keanu ficfest! [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1438567
Kudos: 10





	Solace

As you stared at the folders in front of you, you felt your chest tight, restricted, like someone was squeezing your lungs and you couldn’t get enough air in and out, the beginnings of an anxiety crisis setting in.

This was so not part you’re your job description. You were an undergrad professor; you were supposed to teach not go through your coworker’s files to check if everything was up to date before an institutional visit.

And that was on top of everything else you’ve got to do: classes and class plans, grading papers and making tests, supervising interns, advising senior projects, handling correspondence courses for that term… You were almost regretting accepting that job promotion to assistant professor.

But if you were really planning on moving away next year to get your PhD and be closer to your boyfriend, you needed to make enough money to cover tuitions and expenses until you could find a job. Hence accepting a workload that was way beyond the 40 hours a week you were supposed to do.

The truth was, it wasn’t even the administrative work that you minded. Sure, it was boring as hell, but you could just put on one of your favorite playlists on Spotify and get lost in the files, verifying each folder against the checklist. If the task was entirely up to you, you’d be done in no time.

However, if the folders weren’t up to date, you had to ask your fellow professors for the right documents and wait for them to either e-mail them to you or delivery them in person since you were pretty much living in the university this term. And that right there was where your real problem lay.

You weren’t the most socially apt person. You were fine one-on-one and during lectures. You would just find that thing that you enjoy about a particular subject and work from there.

But asking people for things? Even if it was kind of their obligations anyway, even if you had your supervisor’s backing? That was a nightmare for you. You would always feel exposed and judged which in turn triggered your anxiety.

That was why right now you felt like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room. Your body was so full of pent up energy your bouncing knee was shaking the table as your stared at the open e-mail in front of you. The third you sent this month. Because your deadline was coming up and three professors hadn’t delivered their documents.

You checked the wording for the fifth time, making sure you were expressing enough urgency, but without sounding too annoying before hitting sent. You let out a long, shaky breath and fought down the urge to cry. There was nothing to cry about. Especially not in the middle of the office, where everyone could see you.

Instead you checked your messages, trying to distract yourself. There was one from your Keanu letting you know what time his flight would land, and you cursed under your breath. You wanted to be there at the airport to welcome him, but you had night classes that day.

Yet another wonder of being an assistant professor. Not only you got stuck with all the subjects the other professors didn’t want, your classes were always scheduled at the worst times of the day.

So, you sent him a quick text, letting him know you couldn’t pick him up, but you would me him at his hotel for breakfast tomorrow, before going back to work.

It was after ten p.m. when you finally got home. You were so tired you were actually dragging your feet and turning the key in the lock felt like lifting weight. Your shoulders ached from stress and you could feel the telltale signs of a tension headache from clenching your jaw too hard throughout the day.

But all that fell to the background as soon as you stepped inside the apartment, because you were greeted by the sight of Keanu in a pair of faded jeans and your favorite Arch t-shirt and your heart just skipped a beat.

“Hey babe. I hope you don’t mind that I let myself in with your stare key. I wanted to be here when you got home you sounded stressed on the phone.”

“It was a text message,” you pointed out and Keanu just smiled.

“You still sounded stressed.”

Your throat closed up at the overwhelming feeling in your chest. You had no words to describe how much that meant to you so instead you just dropped everything you were carrying on the first available surface and walked up to Keanu, burying you face in his chest.

And it was almost as if your body knew you were finally safe because the tears you were fighting against the entire day finally broke free and you just cried in his embrace.

Keanu just held you close and tight, petting your hair and whispering soothing nonsenses until you calmed down enough to look up at him. His expression was soft and understanding, and there was a hint of worry in his warm brown eyes as he dried your wet cheeks with his thumbs.

“Better?”

“Yeah,” you sighed and stood on your tiptoes to kiss him. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t really do anything,” he said with a confused smile.

“You’re here and that’s enough.”


End file.
